Who loves palindromes?

Amethyst Princess of Gemworld #14 (second series)

The cover of this issue shows a battered Amethyst crouched against a wall. Her sword and shield are broken. A man-shaped shadow looms over her, with the text on the cover proclaiming “Guess Who’s Back?” The title of this issue is “Inner Sanctum.”

On earth in a darkened bedroom in Hudson, New York something is making strange noises like “Shloop!” and “Chink-Chink-Chink.” Carnelian’s metal arm rolls on the floor followed by a puddle of blood.

Amethyst falls out of a magical portal into Citrina’s workroom. She’s still disoriented by her new blindness, and she isn’t sure where she is. A voice calls out “But you’ve done it, Princess! You’re in Citrina’s chambers now!” Amethyst realizes that she can feel Citrina’s mystic energies. She asks the voice if they’ve met before and it says “Naw. I’m only a crow. Caw!”

Amethyst moves towards Citrina’s scrolls to see if she can find a spell that will restore her eyesight.

She realizes that she can’t read any of the spells and starts smashing the workroom in her frustration, angry that Citrina never told her the truth about her father.

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She raises a rock over her head to smash it, and it says “Unhand me daughter.”
The rock introduces itself. It was her father’s crystal ball that he used to monitor the Gemworld. The crystal ball was so attached to her father that it thinks of itself as one of the family. Amethyst is suspicious that she’s suddenly able to communicate with creatures and inanimate objects, and the rock points out that everything on the Gemworld is alive, that’s why everything has faces. Amethyst is surrounded by loyal subjects and good friends. Amethyst commands the window to open and it obeys. She carries the rock to the window and has it describe the landscape to her. Dark clouds race across the kingdom and trees have been broken by a horrible mystical storm.

On earth Rita visits Carl’s houst in the middle of the night. Emmy spots her from her bedroom window, and wishes that Amy was back from the Gemworld. Rita goes into Carl’s house. The electricity isn’t working. She walks into Carl’s bedroom and runs out, horrified and disgusted.

Amethyst wonders why she has to deal with mystic storms when she hasn’t been able to adjust to the changes in her life. The Diamond Priest says “Perhaps I may be of assistance, Princess Amethyst?” He says that he came as soon as he heard what had happened to her, because he’s blind too. He tells Amethyst that there’s an important war council meeting in the castle. Amethyst agrees to attend with him.

She asks “Do you want to lead me or shall I lead you?” The Diamond Priest says “I am pleased that you have retained your sense of humor in the face of such adversity, Princess Amethyst. I would be honored to walk at your side.” They walk through the castle and reach the conference room. The Gemworld nobility are huddled around something, saying that they want to kill it. Amethyst wonders what it is and the Diamond Priest senses that it was once a man. It speaks and says “Ah-mah-thust!” Amy recognizes Carnelian’s voice. He’s turned into a giant fat creature that is encrusted in black gems.

On the edge of the Gemworld the Ancient Ones have gathered. They are worried about an unseen threat. A Lord of Chaos appears, saying that since they’ve failed to prepare the way for the forces of chaos, they must pay the ultimate price. The Ancient ones are promptly vaporized.

Carnelian explains that when he found the broach of Dark Opal he was planning on using it to get magical powers, but instead the broach fed on him and transformed him. Turquoise still wants to kill him and the other nobles agree.

There’s an explosion and a whirlwind fills the room. Carnelian calls to Amethyst for help. Initially she thinks that she can’t help him because she can’t even help herself, but she realizes that she’s the most powerful person in the room. She yells “Hang on Carnelian! I’m coming to help you!” Lord Garnet notices Amethyst’s new strength and wonders where she got the power to navigate a mystical vortex.

Amethyst reaches Carnelian and casts a spell that will help him rest. She tells the nobles to leave him in peace.

She tries to gather her thoughts, shaken because Carnelian said he loved her. Lord Garnet starts to apologize for everyone’s behavior. Prince Topaz says that they’ve gathered to ask her advice about the blighting. Turquoise tells him to be quiet, saying “Can’t you see that she wants a few minutes to herself, Topaz? Why don’t you try to solve a problem on your own for a change?” Topaz sulks. Turquoise comments to Amethyst “Pay no attention to those men, princess. They’re all helpless without a woman to tell them what to do.”

There’s a horrible scream. Something is coming out of Carnelian. It is Dark Opal! He says “Don’t just stand there Amethyst, welcome me home!”